Wet, Wet, Wet, Wet, Wet, Wet, Wet, Dry - Yippee !!!!!

South America » Chile » Los Lagos » Chiloé Island
October 30th 2009

Published: November 12th 2009

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hkwoody

Castro

View of tourist ferries, no demand in this weather.

At last it's stopped raining and snowing !!!!!
Esquel, Futaleufu, Bariloche and the first day on Chiloe were all washed or snowed out - I guess it comes with the territory and explains why it's so green. Chiloe is the island we were trying to get to when we had to turn back from Futaleufu, glad to say the road journey from Bariloche is easier and still includes a short ferry crossing. Chiloe reminds me of Devon or Ireland, rolling green hills, bays and inlets, grazing cows and sheep. It became really beautiful when the sun eventually came out - and not before time. Getting to and from the Parque Nacional Chiloe was a typically South American affair - the bus that was supposed to leave Castro at 9 didn't show up, so we had to wait 2 hours for the next one at 11. According to the driver the last bus back was at 5:30, some other people we met had called the bus company who told them it was at 5, the timetable said it was at 6 !!! We thought we'd play safe and take the next to last which should have been at 4:45, needless to say

Palafitos

View of traditional palafito houses from the road in / out of Castro.

that time came and went with no sign of a bus. Fortunately an empty bus passed, but not of the company that runs the route, the driver stopped anyway - and probably pocketed the fares he took from us and the other half dozen people who were waiting. Didn't matter to us, we were just glad to get back to town.
We really enjoyed the local speciality called Curanto. It's steamed shellfish, fish, chicken and chorizo sausage, absolutely delicious.
The highlight of the journey to Pucon was the ferry trip back to the mainland when we saw seals, pelicans and other wildlife.

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